by Elizabeth Hudson

Norfolk and Kappes will compete in the tandem sprint and time trial

Britain's Paralympic cycling hopefuls will compete in a special event as part of Thursday's Track World Championships programme at the Manchester Velodrome.

Each rider will compete in their own specialist events against a set time, with points awarded according to how close they come to the world best.

The GB squad features a host of world and Paralympic champions.

"It's a great chance to show a big crowd what we can do," said tandem cyclist Anthony Kappes.

The 35-year-old, who is partially sighted, is hoping to compete at his first Paralympics in Beijing.

He is the current world champion and world record holder in the tandem sprint and the tandem kilo time trial with former partner Barney Storey.

But Kappes is now working with a new pilot, Jon Norfolk, a former member of the GB able-bodied squad who has become eligible to compete internationally this year after a three-year wait.

Although the pair have been training together on and off for two years, Norfolk, a former national kilo and Keirin champion, has taken over from Storey, who is still coaching the pair and who is also hoping to find a new partner.

I feel I still have things to achieve in my cycling career Tandem pilot Jon Norfolk

"Both Barney and Jon are physically very different so my positioning on the bikes has had to altered, but we have spent plenty of time over the last couple of years getting used to riding together in training," Kappes told BBC Sport.

"With Jon and I both based in Manchester, it helps a lot and as well as our track work we also train in the gym together.

"Working with him is not like getting a new partner. We have raced together in some able-bodied tandem races over the past couple of years so we are just looking forward to getting out there and competing.

Kappes and Norfolk will take part in the tandem sprint and time trial in Manchester against Storey and able-bodied cyclist Anthony Gill, giving them crucial race practice ahead of May's Paralympic World Cup at the same venue.

Norfolk, originally from Leeds, admitted that after making the decision to work with the Paralympic squad, the enforced three-year break from competition to become eligible internationally was tough at times.

"There were some periods when I wondered why I was doing it, but it helped me a lot having the goal of maybe competing at the Paralympics at the end," he said.

"I feel I still have things to achieve in my cycling career and Anthony is such an accomplished and dedicated competitor and we are both passionate about what we do.

"Now that the wait to compete is over, I'm looking forward to just having the chance to go and do it."

Also competing in Manchester will be Jody Cundy (LC2 1km TT), Simon Richardson (LC3 1km TT), Russ White (LC1 4km pursuit), Ian Sharpe/Paul Hunter (B/VI 4km tandem pursuit), Aileen McGlynn/Ellen Hunter (B/VI 1km tandem TT), Sarah Storey (LC1 2km pursuit), Darren Kenny (CP3 3km pursuit) and Rik Waddon/Jody Cundy/Mark Bristow (team sprint).